South America: 12 Independent Countries + French Guiana

South America comprises 12 sovereign nations and one French overseas department (often miscounted as 13 countries):

Independent Countries (12)

1. Argentina
2. Bolivia
3. Brazil
4. Chile
5. Colombia
6. Ecuador
7. Guyana
8. Paraguay
9. Peru
10. Suriname
11. Uruguay
12. Venezuela

European Overseas Territories

• French Guiana (Guyane) – Integral part of France (EU, Euro, prefect in Cayenne). Borders Brazil, Suriname, Atlantic.
• Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) – British Overseas Territory, self-governing, disputed by Argentina. South Atlantic.

Note: The ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao) and Trinidad & Tobago are geologically South American but politically/culturally Caribbean.